


World War Z (ankie)

by Fanfic_or_bust



Category: Big Brother RPF, Zankie Fandom
Genre: Blow Jobs, M/M, Sex, Zombie Apocalypse, love in unexpected places, zombie killing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-03-17 06:19:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3518615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanfic_or_bust/pseuds/Fanfic_or_bust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frankie is almost done for when he is saved by a mysterious, golf club wielding, helmeted stranger. Who is this man? Can they survive together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just something that popped into my head. Let me know if you want more!

Frankie had been staring down the barrel of his gun for hours now. He needed to gain the courage to pull the trigger, but for some reason, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Outside the grimy old car window, the incessant chorus of throaty groans of the risen continued. As they had for days. As they always would. He was trapped. Why couldn’t he just do it?

Saddened with himself, Frankie looked away from the gun. He tried to swallow but found it difficult, his throat was so parched. For the millionth time, he looked around the cabin of the old Ford Focus. There wasn’t going to magically be any water this time, but he couldn’t help himself. His desire to drink was so strong. He looked at the windows, willing the condensation to form again but he’d probably have to wait for it to get dark and colder out, and he didn’t think he’d last that long anyways.

Licking the condensation that would form on the windows in the evening spring chill was the only thing that had allowed him to live this long, but it didn’t seem he’d get another chance at that. He was going to die, dry and parched, surrounded by risen. If he didn’t get the courage to pull the trigger, his tongue would crack, he felt his body may turn to dust, but at least he would die in here. And not out there. With them. He tried to console himself with that idea. They wouldn’t get him. There was that, at least.

Licking the windows had been awful at first, knowing what was outside of them. Hearing it. The windows were brown and red on the outside with their blood and grime as they turned their hands and arms to pulp as they tried in vain to get into the car. They never stopped. It took a level of desperation to bring his face next to that glass, to lick it, that he hadn’t known existed before. But it had been three days of their constant moaning and rocking and Frankie was starting to crack.

He looked again at the gun in his hand. At first he had thought of fighting them. Going back for his sister. But he only had three bullets. It wasn’t enough. There were at least a dozen risen surrounding the car right now, pressing in on the windows. He didn’t even know how he’d get out if he tried.

Ari… he tried not to think of her. Of what may have happened to her. It was too awful. Too horrific, even in the current circumstances. He knew he shouldn’t, but he blamed himself. How couldn’t he? Though he hoped and prayed (to whom he wasn’t sure anymore) that she was alright, that she had somehow escaped, he knew it was incredibly unlikely. And if she did escape, she was now alone. How could she survive on her own? Just thinking of Ari out there without Frankie to protect her made him break down into dry sobs yet again, his body too dehydrated to make tears anymore.

He was sitting there, in the passenger seat of the old Ford Focus hatchback, the lowest he had ever been, crying, his body crumpled and defeated, clutching the handgun he knew he had to use but still somehow couldn’t, when he heard it. It was a change in the risen. Their low and constant groans were becoming agitated, they were barking (that’s what he called it when they made the sharp, loud angry throaty noises when they tried to bite). The rocking of the car settled as the risen moved away from it. Towards something. Frankie tried to move to see what was happening but he found himself so weak that he couldn’t move, and from this angle all he could see was the smeared blood and dirt on the outside of the glass.

*Thwack* It was a dull, wet, sound. Frankie couldn’t move, couldn’t see, but he was straining his ears, one of the only parts of him that still seemed to work fine, to hear what was happening. The risen were screaming, barking, he could hear the wet thumping sound every little while. Then, a groan. It could have been risen, but was it? Suddenly the car rocked and the metal sagged. Someone had climbed the car and was standing on the roof. Frankie’s eyes went wide and he felt his heart pounding. That wasn’t risen. It couldn’t be. “Here!” He tried to call, though it came out no louder than a whisper, his throat was so dry. “I’m in here!”

From the roof, the dents moved here and there as the person on top stepped around. *Thwack!* *Thwack!* *Thwack!* He heard risen dropping, and the chorus of their moans and barks began to quiet. *Thwack!* *Thwack!* he heard again, and this time he thought he heard a voice crowing out in victory. He was sure that wasn’t a risen. And suddenly, there was no noise. It was quiet. For the first time in days, it was absolutely, peacefully quiet, and Frankie felt himself weeping despite his lack of tears. The noise of the risen was finally gone.

At first, that’s all he really could focus on. The quiet. His brain wasn’t exactly working to full capacity, the hunger and thirst had taken such a toll. But he knew that he was so happy, so utterly relieved that the noises had stopped, that he hadn’t even thought of what that quiet really meant. Safety. He was saved. Someone had saved him. He felt his heart rate pick up as he struggled to sit up straight, but suddenly he could barely move his arms.

Then the person on the roof of the car hopped down and he heard more noises, and the man (he was now sure it was a man) was grunting as Frankie figured he was dragging the risen away from the car. Suddenly, Frankie had this strange feeling. Was this real? Was this really happening? He worried that maybe he had passed out, delirious from hunger. That this was all just a dream. But if it was a dream, it was a vivid one. And if it was a dream, it was better than reality. So what harm was there in going along with it? “I’m in here!” He croaked, but he didn’t think anyone heard him.

Suddenly, the man was pulling on the door handle and finding it locked. “Hey, is someone in there?” He called, though not too loudly, which Frankie distantly registered as smart. Frankie tried to respond, he did, but all that came out was a squeak. He watched as the man smeared a section of the window clean and an eye appeared, looking around, and widening as it saw Frankie. “Hey! Are you okay? Can you unlock the door?” He called encouragingly. Frankie tried to move, but couldn’t. He didn’t know if it was shock, or if all of his exhaustion and hunger and dehydration was hitting him all at once, or if the adrenaline of being saved was exhausting him, but he couldn’t move. He blinked his eyes and tried to speak, and the eye at the window watched him struggle.

“Fuck! I got here just in time it looks like! Don’t freak out, I’m going to break the window. But then we gotta move because it’s gonna make a lot of noise.” He spoke just loud enough for Frankie to hear. Frankie didn’t know how he was going to get anywhere, but he nodded lightly and the man saw and moved away from the window. “Ok, 3, 2, 1…” *Smash!* A blood stained golf club crashed through the window, the safety glass breaking into a million rounded beads that exploded everywhere. Then the club retreated and an arm was reaching through to unlock the door from the inside.

Frankie watched all of this with a sort of detached bewilderment. He had been so sure he was dead. That he was about to die. That maybe he could be dead right now. Or unconscious. He couldn’t move or interact with this world at all, so maybe he was sleeping. Or a ghost.

But no. He shook his head a little, trying to clear it. The man had seen him. Had spoken to him. This was real. This had to be real. And if Frankie could escape, if he could just somehow survive this, maybe Ari could too. Maybe she was alive and now Frankie was going to live as well and maybe he could find her. Suddenly, he felt his heart swell with hope and he found the strength to sit up a little, to hold his head up and watch the door opening.

At first, the light of the open door blinded Frankie. But when his eyes adjusted, all he saw at first was the helmet. His saviour was wearing a neon pink motorcycle helmet with shaded visor. Then Frankie looked at the rest of him. The bloody golf club rested casually over his shoulder and he wore a thick, rugged leather jacket, a cartoon alligator showing where it hung open. He wore thick jeans and work boots beneath that. Very practical, protective clothing, and all of it worn in and dirty from use. For a moment, he just stood there, the mysterious helmeted figure that had just saved his life, as Frankie goggled at him. And then he spoke.

“Oh, shit!” He said, pulling off the pink helmet. And as he did, Frankie could swear that time had slowed down. The face beneath was tanned and smiling. His overgrown chestnut brown hair wavy and thick, his patchy beard short and roughly shorn. But what Frankie noticed in that moment as time froze, was that spark in his heart. That shock he’d felt as he saw that face. This man, his saviour, was absolutely beautiful. He stood there for a moment, holding his helmet at his side against the black leather of his jacket, smiling at Frankie. “Sorry, I forgot about the helmet.” He said, shrugging apologetically. “I’m Zach. You’re gonna be okay, I’m going to get you out of here.” He said, and Frankie felt his heart flutter. And that’s when everything went dark.

 

 

“I’m Zach. You’re gonna be okay, I’m gonna get you out of here.” Zach said, smiling down at the man. He was thin, and frail looking, though surprisingly clean. He had huge, doelike brown eyes that looked back at Zach’s and for some reason, he found them captivating. The man’s cheekbones were sharp, cutting out prominently due to his hollowed out hungry cheeks. He wore a burgundy sweater with a hood (terrible choice for survival, Zach noted. The hood could be grabbed too easily) and tight blue jeans with high top sneakers. For a second, all Zach could do was stare. It had been so long since he had seen something beautiful.

Despite the disgusting surroundings, this man seemed to glow. Suddenly Zach found himself thanking God he had gotten here fast enough to save him. Because what a waste, if this man had been to die here, surrounded by... Zach shuddered. There was just something about him. Those intelligent eyes that were locked with his. That were rolling back into his head. That were fluttering shut. Shit! He was passing out! Zach put down his golf club and rushed hurried to help.

Climbing inside the car through the driver’s side, Zach leaned over the center console to check on the man. He put his hand on his cheek and lifted his head. “Hey! Are you okay?” He said a few times, lightly shaking him but supporting his face, cupped gently in his hand. The man didn’t moan, didn’t move, his eyes didn’t flutter. He was out cold. “Shit.” Zach said to himself, looking around trying to think of a plan. That’s when he saw the gun fall limply out of the man’s hand.

Zach snatched the gun up immediately, opening the barrel to check the rounds. There were three shots. Zach eyed the man as he engaged the safety and carefully stored the weapon in the back of his pants, tucked into his belt, trying not to think of what deadly purpose this gun was meant for. It wasn’t enough shots to fight off the hoard that was surrounding the car, and the gun was in the guy’s hand… Zach shuddered again as he looked back to the perfect face and tried not to picture a bullet hole there as he carefully got his arms under the man’s and got ready to try to move him.

As it turned out, it wasn’t overly difficult to lift the man who weighed next to nothing. Zach carefully moved him over the center console and out the driver’s side door. As Zach stood up, emerging again into the daylight, he cradled the man in his arms and looked around carefully. In the distance, he could see some bodies slowly shambling towards them and he knew they didn’t have much time. He had made too much noise in the fight and breaking the window. They’d be drawn from all over and Zach needed to be gone by the time they got there. Especially now that his arms were full carrying this man. Luckily his car wasn’t too far away, and camp not much further than that.

Zach readjusted the man’s weight so that he could reach down and grab his golf club, and carefully stepped around the rotten, bloody bodies on the ground, starting the walk back to his car, the man cradled in his arms. Though the man didn’t weigh much, after a while he seemed to grow heavier with every step. As Zach walked down the pavement towards his car, he began to really struggle. But he didn’t for a second consider abandoning him. He looked down at his face again, wondering about the strange connection he felt to it, and adjusted the man again in his arms.

The jostling of the adjustment seemed to wake him up a little this time, his eyes fluttering open and his hand moving to brace against Zach’s chest. He looked up at Zach and a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. Zach felt his own responding in kind as he looked down at him and their eyes connected. And as they connected, Zach felt a tugging at his heart. Zach had helped many survivors at this point, dozens. Many of them still travelled with him, others opting to stay in holed up locations. But he had never felt such an instant connection with any of them. And this man hadn’t even said a word yet.

“You’re going to be okay.” Zach whispered, smiling down at the man, and those eyes for a moment flashed relief, but then they rolled back and were closed again as the man lost consciousness. When he was sure he was out, Zach looked up at the road ahead of him again. His car wasn’t far. And suddenly his burden felt lighter, and he picked up the pace, wanting to get him to safety as soon as possible.

 

…TO BE CONTINUED…???


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach is doing everything he can to get Frankie back to his safe house before it's too late. Can Frankie hold on long enough?

As Zach turned down yet another street looking for a clear path, he glanced at the clock on the dash of the run down SUV he was driving. Not for the first time, he wondered if it was accurate. There was no way for him to be sure. Not that time mattered all that much anymore. There were two times of day, now. Day, and night. At this point, it didn’t really matter what time it was, it just mattered how much time had passed. According to the clock, he’d been driving for over 3 hours. The man had been unconscious the whole time. Zach was getting worried.

A few times, Zach had stopped to check on him. He trickled some water on his dry lips, knowing if the man didn’t take some liquids in the next couple hours that he’d die. And for some reason, Zach really didn’t want him to die. He still couldn’t figure out why. He’d seen so many people come and go. So many deaths. People he loved rising from the dead and attacking him, driven by uncomprehending hunger and instinct to kill. Through all the horrors and trials Zach had experienced over the past year, all the lives come and gone, it made no sense that he cared about this stranger. This stranger that had yet to even say a word to him. But he did. For some unknown reason, he needed this man to live. 

“It’ll be ok, Ari.” Zach said to the man, knowing he couldn’t hear him. But he wanted to encourage him. Tell him to fight. Because every time Zach had to turn around, every time their path was blocked by too many risen to plow past, he worried about him. It was taking too much time. They were so close, but every path seemed to be blocked. He needed to get back to his safe house where he had the supplies to try to nurse this man back to health. “You’ve gotta fight, Ari. You’re gonna be safe, you just have to make it there.” He had no idea what the man’s name was, but when he was searching his body for bites, he had found a pink beaded bracelet around his wrist. On the bracelet was a little charm that read ‘Ari’

He repeated the encouragement as he turned down yet another street and had to brake as the grouping of risen ahead was too thick to continue through. “Fuck.” He muttered to himself, eyeing the crowd blocking his path. He had already tried all the alternate routes. When had so many risen collected here? He had cleared the path just a day earlier. He figured they were streaming out from the city. They were far enough away from New York that this place had felt safe for a while, the groupings of risen had been manageable, which these days was the best you could hope for. But recently the number of bodies migrating from the south was increasing. Zach shuddered to think of the millions of dead there, and what would happen if they all decided to walk north together rather than trickle out on their own little by little. 

The grouping ahead was thin but prevalent. There was 12-15 milling about the street. Most had already seen his car and were shambling slowly towards him. He looked over behind him and there were a couple in view there as well. Shit. There was only one thing to do. It was a good thing this SUV had all wheel drive. 

Looking over at the man beside him, Zach’s brow furrowed. He didn’t want to hurt him, he looked like he could break if the wind blew too hard. He hadn’t even wanted the pressure of the seatbelt over him before but this was about to get rough so Zach pushed the thought of Ari’s bones breaking against the strain of the seatbelt from his mind and reached over his body to secure him in place. Ari’s eyes opened at the contact, finally awake, and after a moment of uncomprehending blinking, Zach saw them swell with pain and panic, and then start to slowly close again, like he was losing consciousness. Panicking himself, Zach reached out and patted the man’s head, running his fingers through the dark hair, trying to coax him back to consciousness.

At Zach’s touch, Ari’s eyes snapped over and met his and only then did he seem to relax a little. The panic ebbed and his eyes seemed to clear. “Easy, Ari.” Zach said soothingly and he ran his thumb over his head one more time before returning his hand to the steering wheel. The man’s eyes fluttered a little and then turned quizzical as he processed the name. It was clear that ‘Ari’ was likely not his name. Zach hadn’t really thought so, it didn’t seem right. But he had nothing else to go by. 

The man opened his mouth and his lip split from dryness, blood dribbling down his chin. He was trying to speak but all that would come out was a croak. Zach quickly pulled the water bottle out, and dribbled a small stream into the man’s mouth. He had to be careful not to give him too much too quickly when the Ari began desperately drinking. The man kept his eyes locked on Zach’s, though they rolled back in pleasure as he took his first swallow of water. Then Zach pulled the bottle away and replaced the cap. “Don’t try to speak.” He said in what he hoped was a soothing tone. “We’ll be safe soon and I’ll take care of you. Try to brace yourself now. I’m going to have to push through a crowd of them. It’s our only choice.” Zach said, pulling his eyes away from the man’s and tightening his grip on the steering wheel. The first of the risen were just starting to get to the front of the vehicle as he revved the engine and took his foot off the brake.

The beat-up Hyundai Tucson lunged forward and struck two bodies in front of them, both were knocked aside. The next he hit head on and he was grateful for the height and traction the car afforded as the body got dragged under the wheels. Zach had seen many cars get stuck and surrounded when the risen got stuck under wheels, and if you couldn’t keep moving, you were basically dead. 

Zach managed to swerve past the next several risen but had to forcefully plow through a tight grouping as they turned the bend at the end of the street. Zach felt the impacts reverberate through his body as he tried not to think about the people that used to inhabit those bodies and focus on making sure the man was alright. Soon, though, they were past the worst of it and Zach breathed easy as he saw the road ahead clear out and the familiar landmarks that told him he was getting close to his current home. His passenger had stayed quiet through the rough patch but Zach could see the pain in his eyes. “Almost there, I promise. You can meet my friends. You might even like some of them.” Zach said, trying to joke to lighten the mood, though soon he quieted as he thought about the people that would be waiting there for him. 

There was Caleb and Amber, AJ, and Cody and his dad Peter. There were others he’d gathered, but many were in other safe houses, the groups splintered off as they became too large to manage. But those were the people that he expected to be waiting for him to return. He really needed Peter’s medical help for Ari, his medical doctorate being the only real reason Zach had allowed the weak older man and his mostly useless son Cody into his group. Zach saved people when he was out on supply runs, fairly often, but he only sheltered and shared his supplies with those he deemed useful. And he absolutely only allowed people to join him if they had skills he could use and would need down the road. 

He had found Cody and Peter huddled together in a dumpster surrounded by risen and couldn’t let them go, because a skill like Peter’s was one that was hard to come by in the post-changed world. Cody had been an underwear model back in his old life, and as such he brought almost no skills to the table. A privileged city boy who had never even been camping, he had been a drain on the group more than he helped it. But Peter and Cody were a package deal, so Zach had no choice but to bring him along. The two men were very close, and if Zach wanted a doctor, he had to make sacrifices. Sometimes Zach thought they were a little TOO close, but he wasn’t going to judge. Or, if he was going to judge, he wasn’t going to kick them out over them being weirdly touchy feely. Maybe they needed the contact for comfort, he didn’t know. Like a defense mechanism. And he wasn’t about to take that away from them, even if he didn’t understand it.

Zach knew he’d never understand that, so he didn’t try. He hated being touched. Not these days. He couldn’t even fathom the thought of human comfort and warmth at this point, his outlook had become so bleak over the past year. Everywhere he went, he was attacked. He wasn’t safe anywhere. So he’d put the walls up, both literally and metaphorically. He had done everything to keep himself safe over the past year, and in doing so he had built himself an island all to himself. Even around the others, he lived on his island. Alone. Without the comfort and warmth of human companionship. Yes he had friends, yes he cared for them and their safety, but he kept them all at arms length and he didn’t get involved in their mental or emotional wellbeing. 

Mental and emotional wellbeing were a luxury that people couldn’t afford these days, Zach figured. All he could try to do was tend to their physical wellbeing, and the rest was on them. As for Zach’s mental and emotional wellbeing, well, those were gone months ago, the last time he had seen his little brother, Peyton. That was the last time Zach had been warm, the last time he’d felt a connection with the man he used to be. Because the man he was then and the man he was now were very different. There were two Zachs. Warm, loving, caring, understanding Zach, and cold, harsh, brash, boisterous, don’t give-a-fuck Zach. And he’d been the latter for so long now he didn’t know if the other side still existed. The Zach that loved things, and cared deeply about things was dead. That’s what he told himself. What was left may be an asshole, but he was an asshole that kept people alive and got the fucking job done. What else could anyone ask for?

Zach was thinking a lot, to himself, as he drove the last few miles without even paying attention to the road. Thinking about himself, the others, how far he had descended into darkness of the past months. Wondering if he was still a good person. He saved people. Did that make him good? Even though he didn’t feel love in his heart anymore? Why was he thinking so much?   
Zach hadn’t thought this much in ages. He had somehow managed to turn that part of himself off, to just live in the moment, to even allow himself to joke and have fun for the past several months, though it never touched his heart. But it turned out killing the risen with his 3-iron was a blast if you just lived minute to minute, and didn’t allow the horror of the reality to seep in. For months he had achieved what he had thought was a near perfect post-apocalyptic version of nirvana. He had transcended his emotions and was living a cold life, but a relatively happy one. Living under constant attack, always having his guard up at every moment, never feeling safe, the feelings had crushed him until he broke through and decided he no longer gave a fuck and he was going to start going on the attack himself. That was the key to surviving. Going on the attack. Never be the prey. ALWAYS be the predator. Zach attack.

People like Cody and Peter didn’t understand that. They still clung to the old world, their old selves. They were soft and constantly needed to be coddled but they soon realized that they wouldn’t’ get that from Zach so they clung to each other. The need for human comfort was something that Zach didn’t understand anymore, but right about now, he was damned glad he had allowed them into his group. Because this man beside him needed help, and he needed help NOW. Zach looked over at him and winced as he saw the fight in those big brown eyes, but the light was fading there, he could tell. 

Without thinking, Zach reached over and put his hand on the man’s skinny leg and left it there, gently rubbing back and forth. Trying to provide comfort, to encourage him to hold on. Not thinking about anything other than wanting this man to live. Not thinking even for a moment about how strange and profound it was that he was touching and caring for another human being for the first time since that part of himself had died, all those months ago. Though maybe it hadn’t died at all. Maybe it had just been gone for a while. 

 

Frankie’s eyes fluttered open and after a confusing moment, he realized he was in a new car, and the engine was running. It took a few seconds after that for him to get a grip on where he was and what had happened. In the first moments after regaining his awareness, Frankie felt a rising tide of panic as he felt the horrible sensations of his starving body battling just to keep breathing. It was overwhelming, the pain. Lancing pain from his abdomen and a firey burning in his lungs and throat. His tongue and lips were so cracked and no matter what he tried, he couldn’t wet them. He wanted to cry, to mourn for his imminent death, because of course he was going to die. He had never experienced anything like this, the world seemed somehow thinner. Like it was fading away. Or had it always been like this? He suddenly couldn’t remember. 

Frankie felt his eyes get heavy as he wanted to drift away, to fade out like the world was doing around him, but then the strap around him tightened and he felt soft fingers patting his head and running through his hair. It was so soft and gentle, and it was enough to give him strength so Frankie looked up and there they were. Those eyes, coloured like the ocean, staring into his own, and it was like a shot of epinephrine to Frankie’s heart. The eyes were concerned, and the man who Frankie remembered was called Zach, was looking worried. “Easy, Ari.” Zach said, and Frankie wanted to ask why he called him that, his sister’s name, but when he tried to, he found he couldn’t speak, and his dry lips cracked and bled. The pain was horrible but again, Frankie felt better now that he knew Zach was with him. And a moment later, Zach was raising a water bottle to Frankie’s mouth and he was finally, after days without water, taking his first drink. It hurt, his throat didn’t want to work properly, but it was heavenly. Frankie drank more and more and when he started to get ravenous Zach pulled the bottle away.

“Don’t try to speak.” Zach said, and his eyes wrinkled a little at the sides as he scrunched them in sympathy for Frankie’s pain. “We’ll be safe soon and I’ll take care of you.” He said, and Frankie felt a soothing warmth at the words, though it was soon replaced with more blinding pain. But the pain became more bearable, somehow. He was going to take care of him. “Try to brace yourself, now. I’m going to have to push through a crowd of them. It’s our only choice.” Zach said, his voice determined and confident. For whatever reason, Frankie found he trusted him completely. Though, what other choice he had, he didn’t know. But if he had to be in anyone’s care, he was glad it was Zach. He seemed to have his shit together, at least in the new world’s terms. In the old world, this man would probably have been a lunatic. You had to be, to survive after the change. But this wasn’t the old world. Things had changed, and Frankie was glad to be with Zach right now. And it didn’t hurt that he had eyes like the ocean and a beautiful face and warm soft fingers to match.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach and Frankie arrive at the safe house. But is it as safe as Zach thinks?

Zach’s hand had remained on Frankie’s knee for minutes, and the rhythmic friction of his thumb rubbing back and forth was calming, steadying. Frankie was grateful. So unbelievably grateful. For saving him, yes, but for his kindness mostly. His warmth and obvious caring, for the hand that was grounding him, helping Frankie ignore the hideous pain and the way the world was fading away around him. If Frankie was going to die, he was so grateful to get to do it here, with this nice, handsome, caring stranger rubbing his knee for comfort. He had been so close, SO close to ending it all in that car, surrounded by the horrible chorus of the risen. This was infinitely better.

But no. Screw that. He wasn’t going to die. He couldn’t die. Ariana was still out there, and she might still need him. He had to hang on. Luckily, they were only minutes away from the safe house that Zach assured him had a doctor and supplies and beds and everything. And the water that Zach had shared was starting to work its way through his body. His breathing was coming a little easier and his muscles were tingling as he supposed the blood in his veins was moving less sluggishly.

“This is it.” Zach said, turning and smiling at Frankie as they turned yet another corner. Frankie had noticed that they had taken a lot of turns. They were in the middle of a housing development, one of those sprawling endless mazes of identical houses on courts and lanes and you could easily get lost if you didn’t know your way. Thinking about it, it was actually a very smart idea. There was little chance of a large grouping of risen coming through with all the turns and houses and back yards to get through. And the house looked like it was very comfortable.

“Peter is going to make you better, I promise. And you’ll meet the rest of them. Caleb is a bit of an idiot, but I needed a Darryl for my group and the dude can HUNT. Barely a night goes by we don’t have squirrel or rabbit or bird stew. And he even came with his own crossbow.” Zach continued animatedly as he backed the car into the driveway. When he parked, he got out and moved over to Frankie’s door to help him out.

“Then there’s Amber. She doesn’t really do much but cook the food Caleb catches, but she was a package deal with Caleb, kind of like Cody and Peter. And AJ was a lawyer in the old world so that’s not much help either, but he’s my bro, we were together when this all went down in New York, and he’s big and strong and not afraid of the risen so he earns his squirrel.” Zach spoke on, happily, then he laughed. “I keep getting stuck with useless people. I wonder if you’ve got any useful skills when you’re all patched up?” Zach said to himself as he reached out to lift Frankie easily from the car. Frankie knew he was saying it lightly, only joking, but the question sent a pit to his already aching stomach.

Skills? Frankie had no skills that could be valuable to Zach. Being a pop star’s brother and C list celebrity in the old world meant nothing now. Dancing? That would get him nowhere. Singing? Nope. The only thing Frankie really had was a handful of skills that he had developed back when he had been hell bent on getting onto the reality show Survivor. He could start a fire without flint. Was that a skill that would satisfy Zach? As Zach lifted Frankie easily, and Frankie felt his strong warm arms cradle him against his chest, he rested his head there and worried. He couldn’t stop worrying. If he wasn’t worried about dying, he seemed to be worried about surviving.

Not for the first time, Frankie thought that he wasn’t cut out for this new world. Zach, though. Now HE was fit for this new world. He seemed to thrive in it. Or, at least he appeared to from the outside. As Zach climbed the front steps, Frankie’s mind was still racing. What could he offer? What other skills did he have? Dancing, singing, fire starting, promoting… sex? Frankie didn’t have a massive ego, but he did accept that he was a god in bed. It was just a fact. He nervously took a peek up at Zach’s handsome tanned face with wild chestnut wavy hair. Would that be a skill he was interested in?

Frankie was looking up at Zach when his expression changed from happy to on edge, the change happening in an instant. His eyebrows knitted, his eyes narrowed, his mouth turning to a hard line. “FUCK!” He whispered sharply, then looked down at Frankie in his arms in despair. Frankie managed to croak out a feeble ‘what?’ as he looked into those terrified eyes. Or were they angry? Frankie didn’t know, but he did know that Zach’s face was transformed in an instant.

Frankie watched anxiously as he saw Zach looking back and forth, seemingly scanning for a place to leave Frankie that would be safe. “Fuck. Fuck.” He whispered again. “The door’s unlocked. It’s never unlocked. I can’t leave you here. Fuck what do I do?” He was thinking to himself out loud, and Frankie could hear the anguish and worry there. He felt his heart start to pound in response and the tingling in his limbs got worse.

Then, they were moving. Frankie supposed Zach had decided on bringing Frankie in with him. He cautiously and quietly opened the front door and slowly stepped over the threshold. Frankie, in all his worry, had a delirious thought of how this must look, him being cradled and held as they walked over the threshold into this house. Frankie used to have dreams of moments like this. But this was nothing like those dreams. There was an eery quiet to the house, and the tension was dripping off Zach as he slowly tiptoed through the front hall, his eyes darting everywhere. He looked left into a front sitting room with sofas and headed in that direction.

Zach made his way through the room surprisingly quietly, considering the burden he was carrying. He stopped in front of one of the couches after making sure the room was clear. Then he leaned his head down and pressed his lips right to Frankie’s ear. In another moment, the chills this sensation gave him would have been pleasant, but in this moment, both men were so on edge that Frankie couldn’t enjoy it. “I have to put you down. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” He more breathed than whispered. Then he pulled back a little and looked into Frankie’s eyes, waiting for him to agree. Frankie nodded just a little. He was scared, but he couldn’t be an anchor in Zach’s arms if he needed to fight.

So Zach lowered Frankie carefully onto the sofa and then he raised his golf club and held it with both hands. With his back to Frankie, he stood still and listened. After a few moments passed, Frankie was finding his heart raise in the hopes that they were okay, that no one was here. Zach’s friends weren’t here, obviously, and that was a problem, but that at least in the present moment they were safe from the risen. But then there was a noise in the kitchen. They both heard it, clear as day. Like something had bumped into a table and the legs had groaned against the tile floor.

Zach’s head snapped in that direction, and then he looked back at Frankie. Frankie thought he was asking permission to leave him, to investigate the kitchen. Frankie nodded his head quickly and looked to the kitchen. ‘GO’, he mouthed. Of course Frankie wanted him to go! There was something in the kitchen, and he had the impression that it wasn’t this guy Cody that Zach kept complaining about. Zach looked pained for a second, then looked around through the front hall, in the opposite direction from the kitchen to make sure that area was seemingly clear. Then he nodded his head, steadied his golf club, and stalked silently towards the kitchen.

Frankie sat there, terrified, his heart pounding, and he realized he was so worried for Zach he was almost beside himself. His fear was more for Zach than himself in this moment, and it was almost enough to give him the strength to get up and go help him. Almost. His limbs still weren’t working properly, still tingling and agonizing as the oxygen returned to his muscles. He watched as Zach rounded the corner, and when he was out of sight and Frankie was alone, Frankie felt the first tear that he’d been able to produce in over a day form and drip down his cheek.

Soon, there were loud noises coming from the kitchen. Banging, Zach grunting… and the unmistakeable groan of a risen. Frankie’s heart dropped. He guessed he had hoped it was an animal or something, but no. The safe house was safe no more. For now, at least. Frankie wondered how it got in. And where Zach’s friends were. And as if he’d been doused with ice water, he wondered if maybe the risen in the kitchen WAS one of Zach’s friends. God, he hoped not. That would just be too hard. Frankie had been faced with known risen before, both friends and family, and every time he was confronted with it, a little part of his soul died. Please, he pleaded in his mind. Please, let his friends be okay.

Frankie’s attention was fixed on the door Zach had gone through, on the direction of the noises in the kitchen. So much so that he almost didn’t notice in time. But there it was. A man, in its former life, now a monster. Shambling towards him, reaching out in hunger. Part of his neck was gone and there were three bloody bullet holes in his torso. Some fool must not have known they needed to take out the head. Absurdly, in that moment of panic, Frankie wondered what happened to the person that had shot him. Was he ok?

Frankie watched almost in slow motion as the thing shambled closer. Frankie had no defense. No voice. No way to scream for Zach, even if Zach hadn’t already been occupied in his own life or death struggle in the other room. He couldn’t run, his legs wouldn’t carry him. Though suddenly, probably spurred by adrenaline, Frankie found the strength to move his arms. There was nothing within arms reach to use as a weapon, so he grabbed a throw pillow, knowing it wouldn’t help. But he had to have something in his hands. He had to go down fighting, even if it was a pillow fight with a dead man. A hysterical laugh left his chest and he prepared himself as best he could as the thing closed in.

Then, it was on him. All of its weight, its arms clawing and grabbing. Frankie had stuffed the pillow in its face, trying to stop it from biting him, and he focused all his adrenaline fueled strength on keeping the pillow in place. Not getting bit. He let the arms flail and grab, try to pull him towards those chomping teeth. With the pillow between them, the arms could only hurt him. Not kill him. But if and when his strength left him, and he couldn’t keep the pillow between them, he knew it would be over. He couldn’t help the shout that left him, it was the loudest noise he’d made for days, since his throat had dried up.

Frankie was pressed up against the back of the couch, the monster on top of him, lashing back and forth trying to get its teeth into Frankie’s flesh, and Frankie knew he couldn’t hold on much longer. When the noises stopped coming from the kitchen, Frankie felt his heart drop, and some of his last strength sap from his arms. Zach. All Frankie could think of was that he was done, that his golf club hadn’t been enough.

But then ‘THWACK’ there was a loud wet sound and the risen fell forward onto Frankie, though he wasn’t fighting anymore. His limbs hung limp. He was dead. Holy shit, he was dead. Frankie was alive. He tried in vain to process all of this. He had thought he and Zach were done for. He was so sure. “Get the fuck OFF HIM!” Zach growled at the body and pulled it off and away from the couch violently. And then Zach was rushing towards Frankie, kneeling before him and leaning over him. His hand cupped his face and he looked into his eyes. “Are you okay?” He asked, his voice so pained it was hard to hear, and he quickly checked Frankie for bites before looking back into his eyes, a little relieved.

Frankie wanted to nod, to reassure Zach that he was alright, but he just felt his eyes widen as he tried to dry them and deny the tears that wanted to fall. He kept eye contact with Zach’s worried, beautiful face and that made the tears even harder to hold back. Why did he feel such a connection with this face? Even now, spattered with blood and dirt, his thick hair wild, he was beautiful. Frankie felt he could feel this man’s soul reach out through his eyes and ensnare him, connect with his own. And then the tears fell unbidden from Frankie’s eyes. And unexpectedly, they began to fall from Zach’s eyes too.

Then Zach moved forward onto the couch, pulling Frankie on top of him and holding him close like a child. Embracing him, holding him, rocking him. Pressing his face into Frankie’s neck and breaking down into sobs that made Frankie want to fight the pain and wrap his own arms around Zach, to rub his back in reassurance like Zach had done for him earlier. Zach was sniffling against Frankie’s neck. “They’re gone. They’re all gone. I don’t know where they are.” He said through sobs and Frankie managed to move one hand up to his head to pat his hair. Frankie could hear his pain, his worry for his friends and he felt helpless and deeply saddened. Zach was obviously someone who, despite the new world they lived in, still cared about people. Despite complaining about these people almost the whole ride here, Frankie knew he loved them. They were his family in this horrible place, and now they were gone.

“I thought…” Zach sniffed. “I came in and I saw—I thought you—I thought you were gone too, that I’d left you and—and—“ He said through the tears as he held Frankie close and continued to rock gently. Frankie managed a calming ‘shhhhhh’ as he petted Zach’s head. “I’m so glad you’re alright, Ari. I, I don’t know what I’d have done if I’d lost you so quickly. I’m going to take care of you, and I’ll never leave you like that again. I promise.” Zach said, finally pulling his tear-soaked face back from Frankie’s neck and looking at him through bloodshot eyes. “You know, I still don’t know your real name.” He said suddenly, and Frankie managed a small smile.

“Frankie” He mouthed, accompanied by a small croak of the word, and Zach smiled widely, his white teeth shining in the dim light.

“Frankie.” Zach tried the name, and smiled, then nodded. “You’re right.” He said. “It is Frankie. I don’t get it, but I have this weird feeling like I already should have known that. That I already should have known YOU. Do you feel it too?” Zach asked, his voice a whisper, but he held the eye contact boldly. He wasn’t whispering from shyness. It was almost… reverence.

Slowly, Frankie felt his face heat up, and then a shy smile pulled up on one corner of his lips. He maintained his contact with those beautiful ocean coloured eyes as he nodded just a little, and watched as Zach’s eyes brightened immediately, and he returned the smile and pulled him close. And again, Frankie wondered if this was all just a dream. If he was really just stuck back in that car, lost in his head. Because he wasn’t sure how this could be real. But again… if this was a dream, Frankie never wanted to wake up. Because he had never felt so safe since the world changed, as he did in this moment, embraced in Zach’s strong arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! I'm trying to get back into fanfic so if you want more please encourage me with comments! ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach's friends are gone and Frankie is haging on by a thread. What is he going to do?

For minutes, Zach clung to the man. He knew they had only just met, and hadn’t even talked yet, but for some reason Zach felt like he had known him for years. Or, that he should have. It was the most peculiar thing. He’d never felt it before. Actually, usually it was the opposite. It took him a long time to warm up to people. He liked to keep his circle small. But at this moment, the comfort Frankie was providing him in this terrifying situation… Zach wasn’t going to question it. The world was changed, he reasoned. People could skip the getting to know each other phase. Who had time for that?

What he also wasn’t going to question was the knowledge that no matter the circumstance (and they had been through a lot together) he had never had the impulse to hug Caleb, or Amber or Cody for comfort. Of his current group, only AJ had ever seen him cry. He was with him when the horde separated him from Peyton and Tiger. Or, as Zach referred to it, the day his life ended. He’d cried and cried that night, but he hadn’t hugged AJ and clung to him for comfort. It had never even occurred to him.

Zach couldn’t explain what was happening as he clenched his fingers in the thick material of Frankie’s hoodie and pulled him closer. He WAS scared for his group. Terrified, that something had happened to them. As much as they annoyed the shit out of him, he loved them. But without Frankie here, that wouldn’t have driven him to tears. He was already thinking of a few places to look for them. Without Frankie, he’d have gone ZachAttack on some risen, worked out his anxiety with work and physical exertion, maybe a joint at the end of the night. And he’d find them, living, dead, or otherwise.

But now, here he was, crying into the neck of a handsome stranger. And that’s what he was, a stranger, no matter how familiar he felt in Zach’s heart. And, had he just referred to Frankie as being handsome in his brain? Fuck, Zach had no idea what was happening to him. But he wasn’t going to question it. He wasn’t going to question anything that had the ability to bring comfort in the bleak world he lived in. What was the point? Fuck all of that. He didn’t have to hide and censor himself these days. There was no audience to appease, no societal pressure for anything because there was no fucking society anymore. So fuck it, if he wanted to be with a man, why not?

And then Zach froze, his muscles tensing for a moment. Had he just thought about being with a man? Like, WITH a man? Holy shit. But whatever. In a split second decision, he was going for it. He wasn’t going to label it or put any pressure on it, but if this was a good guy (and he was sure that he was), and if this weird connection they had made him even fractionally happier, why the fuck not. He just hoped Frankie didn’t have an annoying voice or something, when he was finally able to talk.

After several minutes clung together, Zach had finally worked out his feelings enough, levelled his head enough, to return to reality. He pulled back, sniffed one final time and wiped his wet cheeks with the sleeve of his jacket that he hadn’t had the chance to remove yet. He was looking into Frankie’s wide brown eyes. He knew he must be scared, so Zach had to shake this off and be strong now. And Frankie was still delicate. He needed help. Zach smiled shyly and shrugged at Frankie. “I guess I must have needed that.” He said, sniffing a little and wiping his eyes one last time to indicate he meant the crying and comfort. “Sorry. And thanks.” Zach said, and he chuckled a little nervously.

Frankie smiled in response and managed a croaky “Thank YOU”, and his eyes shone as he smiled, his whole face lit up. Zach felt his breath hitch, he looked so different, so much brighter. How Frankie even found the strength to smile, Zach didn’t know. He didn’t have anything left in the tank BEFORE that monster had attacked him. Where he was at right now, Zach shuddered to think.

“I don’t know where my friends are. Looks like there were two risen, and not much sign of a struggle from what I can see. I don’t know what the fuck happened but there’s no blood, so that’s a good sign. Well, there WAS no blood. Before…” He said, trailing off. Honestly the mess he’d made with his golf club was enough to make him consider closing this safe house and finding another. He hated cleaning.

“You think they’re okay?” Frankie breathed and mouthed, and Zach found he understood him without a problem. The worried look on Frankie’s face caused Zach’s heart to clench. He was worried. For people he didn’t know and had never even met. It was yet another sign that this was a good person. But if Zach was being truthful, he wasn’t looking for proof. He normally went through long periods with no trust, as he determined whether someone was on the level or not, he had been fooled in the past. Devon came to mind. But for some reason, with Frankie, he just KNEW. This was a good guy. They were meant to meet. Zach was meant to save him.

“I don’t know. I really don’t. But I know they didn’t die here. Or, if they did, it wasn’t from risen. They’re just… gone. Two plans of action we can take. We can secure the doors and hole up here, and hope that they’ve just gone somewhere and that they’ll be back.” Zach said, holding out one finger and tapping it with his other hand. Then he held out a second finger. “Or we can go looking for them while the trail is still warm.” He said, tapping the second finger.

“You need to go look for them.” Frankie croaked, his face serious and his eyes shimmering again, perhaps with withheld tears. Zach rolled his eyes and tossed his head back a little. Of course Frankie would say something like that. Who was this guy? No one was selfless in the new world. No one.

“Yeah, THAT’S not going to happen. I was just saying it to sound objective. We’re staying here. There’s no way you’d make it if we left now.” Zach said blowing off Frankie’s stupid (and brave, and altruistic, and heroic) idea. He tried to ignore the tear that fell from Frankie’s eye. He was lifting him off and settling him back against the other side of the couch. Then Zach sat perched on the side of the couch right next to Frankie and looked him straight in the eye.

“They’re your friends. You have to go. I’m just… just…” Frankie trailed off, and Zach knew he was doing an amazing acting job, trying to look strong, brave. Because Zach could almost buy it.

“You can stop wasting your energy now, you need it. I’m not going anywhere. So shut up and let me take care of you, you Frootloop Dingus.” Zach said, pointing strongly and mock threateningly towards the other man at the end. Frankie didn’t respond, but he did raise one eyebrow dramatically, accompanied by a questioning smirk. Sassy. Zach loved that. Even on death’s door, this guy was funny.

“Don’t give me that look!” Zach said, laughing, and he leaned down onto Frankie for a brief second as he did, almost on instinct. “You heard what I said!” He joked, and Frankie smiled. And in that instant, as Zach appreciated that beautiful view, he realized tha he lovedt making Frankie smile. Then Frankie’s face softened. He looked sad for a moment and his serious eyes bore into Zach’s, paralyzing him.

“Thank you.” He whispered, and the sincerity there was heartbreaking.

“Don’t worry about it. And don’t worry about them…. I mean… there’s no real reason to worry.” He didn’t add the ‘yet’. Because if his friends weren’t back within a day, he didn’t think they’d be coming back. He hoped that by then, once he got some water and electrolytes into him, Frankie would be strong enough to come along and they could go after them. But… he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Nothing good would come of that. They had to come back. They had to.

Trying to shake off the thought of his friends in danger, he decided the best thing to do was move forward assuming they’d be coming back. He stood up, looking down at Frankie, and clapped his hands together, dusting them off. “Okay. I’m going to get these two dead fuckers out of here. But first, you need some more water. But you can’t have too much at a time. Try to pace yourself. I’m going to put some electrolyte powder in it. That should help.” Zach said, and Frankie smiled and nodded. And Zach turned to head towards the kitchen.

Upon returning to the scene of his fight, Zach remembered the extent of the mess he’d made. He scrunched up his face in distaste. At least it was mostly over in the table area, not so much near the counters. He stepped over the body to get to a water bottle and some supplies. He scooped out a heaping serving of Gatorade powder into the bottle and then filled it from a large jug that was on the counter. Stepping back over the body, he returned to Frankie and handed him the bottle.

The look of pure, unadulterated relief and pleasure on Frankie’s face was amazing. Zach drank it in. He needed happy thoughts. Especially right now. Frankie drank each sip with reverence and an amount of pleasure that made Zach think of other things… things he really shouldn’t be thinking of at this moment. That thought made Zach nervous so he awkwardly jumped up and said “Well I’ll get this guy out of your hair…” And the grabbed the foot of the risen, turned and knelt so that it was over his shoulder, his hands bracing from the front, and he stood, lifting the body and letting it dangle from behind him. Moving the risen dirty work, there was no way getting around it. And he really didn’t want to clean up the streak he’d cause if he tried to drag the thing outside.

After about 20 minutes, Zach had dumped both bodies over the fence into the neighbour’s yard and re-secured the entrances to the house. They were safe. Frankie had done as he was told, and he was pacing the water bottle, but it was almost empty as Zach returned to him. “That wasn’t so bad! How are you feeling?”

“So much better oh my God… oh… oh my God! My voice! I can talk!” He said and he was right, Zach could hear him. His voice was hoarse still, it sounded painful, but he could talk. Zach smiled widely, but then his brows knitted in worry.

“Maybe you shouldn’t so much yet, you might hurt yourself…” He said nervously, and Frankie smiled and rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Zach, do you know how much I’ve wanted to say in the past day? I can talk, I’m not going to stop.” He said, his voice turning to a croak by the end. He really was pushing it. Zach didn’t know why he cared so much, if the guy wanted to talk, he should talk. But all Zach could think of was that he’d promised to take care of him.

“Are you always this stubborn?” He asked, raising one eyebrow. Frankie smiled a silly smile and shrugged in a ‘yep, sorry!’ type fashion and Zach laughed. “Well fuck, you’re going to make it hard for me to take care of you then!” He laughed. “This room is disgusting, let’s go to the TV room and pretend something good is on. You need another bottle of that, and I’ll make you some broth.” Zach said, looking down at Frankie.

“Sounds good.” He croaked, his newly returned voice already leaving him from pushing too hard too fast. Frankie obviously didn’t have the willpower for proper vocal rest. Zach was going to have to try to help him with that. “Thank you, Zach. For… everything.” He said, the words sweet despite their hoarseness, and Zach smiled.

“Don’t even mention it. I know I said it before, but I feel like we were meant to meet, that I was meant to help you. So let me fucking help you and shut up for a minute so your vocal chords can rest.” He said, laughing. “Let’s go.” Zach said, leaning down to pick Frankie up, but he paused mid-motion and caught himself before he touched Frankie. Zach was filthy. His jacket and shirt underneath were disgusting after dispatching and disposing of those bodies. He hesitated and took a step back, looking down at himself again. He really didn’t want to pick up Frankie and press him against his disgusting jacket.

“Fuck, I’m disgusting, I’m sorry I almost picked you up. Here, I’ll fix it.” Zach said and Frankie quirked an eyebrow and smiled as Zach began to unzip his jacket and take it off. Then he peeled the sweaty Gators shirt he had underneath over his head. He stood there, completely naked from the waist up, a little awkward, and shrugged. “That’s better, right?” He asked nervously.

Frankie smiled. “Much better.” He said, and Zach wasn’t sure if he was talking about the dirt or something else. He smiled shyly and bent to hook his arms under Frankie’s arm and knees. This time Frankie was strong enough to wrap his arms around Zach’s neck to hold himself in place. He placed his cheek against Zach’s bare chest and left it there as he walked. Zach again wasn’t sure if he did that because he couldn’t hold his head up or if it was because… because he wanted to. Zach felt his cheeks flush as he realized he hoped it was the latter.

It didn’t take long to get to the other room, and Zach carefully placed Frankie down onto the large L-shaped sectional. “Much better.” He said as he looked down at Frankie and the absence of blood and gore around him. A minute later he returned with another bottle for Frankie to nurse and he had started the little burner they had set up out the back window to heat up a can of chicken broth. Zach knew his care wasn’t as good as Peter’s would have been, and that Frankie really needed a doctor, but he hoped he was doing a good job. Frankie certainly seemed to be perking up with every bottle he drank.

By the time he finished the soup, Frankie was crashing. He was yawning and nodding off over his mug, and Zach had to keep him awake to finish it. He wanted him to finish it, as much as Frankie needed sleep, his body needed hydration, salt, and calories. When he was done, Zach couldn’t help himself. The words left his lips before he could pull them back. “Good boy.” He said, and instantly his cheeks burned with embarrassment. Luckily, Frankie only smiled sleepily and murmured thanks.

Zach placed the empty mug on the table and turned to Frankie. “Okay, you can sleep now.” Zach said softly. Frankie smiled sleepily and cracked open a heavy eyelid. Zach smiled softly at him and sat there, not knowing what to do. Should he stay? Go? He guessed he could start on the clean up, though he really didn’t want to.

“Zach?” Frankie murmured, already dozing off, but reaching his hand out and groping for Zach’s with his eyes closed.

“Right here.” Zach whispered back, reaching out his hand without even thinking and linking it with Frankie’s.

“Will you lie with me? I just… don’t want to be alone.” He said, and Zach noticed as he snuck a little peek at him. Zach felt like warm water had washed through his body, it was gooey and nice. A weird reaction, to be sure. But all he could think was ‘YES’. Of course yes. So he answered without the need for much thought.

“Of course.” He breathed as he kicked off his boots and crawled in behind Frankie on the deep sofa. “Whatever you need.” He said, his voice husky as he nuzzled into a good comfy position and Frankie laid back against him. Zach wrapped his arm around his skinny body because where else was he supposed to put his arm? But also because it felt right. And when Frankie nuzzled back against him, under his arm? Well that felt right, too. Like they fit together. Though Frankie DID need to put on a little weight. Zach felt a swell of pride knowing that he had worked so hard to build a supply store, and that he would be able to help him with that. That he’d be able to provide for him, make him healthy and strong again. He smiled against the back of Frankie’s head.

“Zach?” Frankie whispered again, his voice barely audible as he was obviously on the brink of sleep.

“Yeah, Frankie?” Zach whispered back.

“Thank you.” He said with the last breath before he fell into a deep and needed sleep. As Zach felt Frankie’s breathing evening out in front of him, he found his own eyes getting heavy. He had barely a minute to be glad that he had set up the bells at the front and back door before drifting off himself, as he lay there comforted with Frankie in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos if you'd like me to continue!! :) xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picks up right after 4!

Zach had strange dreams. His brother was there, but instead of the recurring nightmare he usually starred in, the scene was happy at first, it was in the old world. “Where’s Frankie?” he kept asking and Zach didn’t understand what he meant. Then Peyton got more and more upset as Zach didn’t understand. “You lost him! Didn’t you! You lost him!” Peyton screamed and cried but before Zach could find out what he meant, he awoke in a cold sweat.

Zach looked at the clock on the wall. It didn’t work, so that was a futile reflex but it felt like he’d been out for hours. It was now fully dark out, and his group weren’t home. Now wide awake, he propped himself up a little bit on his elbow, Frankie out cold in front of him. He nudged him a little to see how deep he was sleeping and he didn’t even make a noise or react at all. Yep, out cold.

Zach looked down at Frankie where he lay. From this angle he could see the side of his face and it was so peaceful. When he was awake, Zach could always tell how much pain he was in. Even when he smiled. But in sleep, the pain seemed to be gone. He watched in fascination as Frankie’s lips separated a little bit. The urge to kiss those lips… MALE lips… was entirely new. But it was there. He wasn’t going to, but the urge was there, he couldn’t deny it. And why should he deny it? The world had ended. What else did he have left? He found himself hoping Frankie would want to kiss him too. Because… that would be nice. It really would.

He wouldn’t kiss a sleeping man (creepy!) but he couldn’t help himself when Zach reached forward with his face and ran his forehead and nose up the back of Frankie’s head, nuzzling in close. And for a while, he was able to lie there, with his arms around him, in relative peace. But he couldn’t find his way back to sleep, and soon his mind was racing. He was going through scenarios, worrying about his friends. Trying to come up with theories why the house showed little signs of struggle and there were 2 (and only 2) risen inside.

He had this horrible feeling they were taken. But their well equipped stores of supplies hadn’t been raided. There also didn’t seem to be much missing, so it didn’t make sense that they had abandoned him and left on purpose. They would have robbed him, taken everything or mostly everything if that were the case. Or at least something. But this was bizarre. It was like they’d disappeared.

Soon, Zach was too stressed to keep lying there. He gently got up and Frankie rolled over without waking. Zach paced for a while, then decided to try to distract himself with cleaning. It didn’t work, but at least the house was less disgusting. When he got to the living room, he knew the sofa was done for. There was too much blood, and not enough rainwater to justify trying to scrub it out. He figured they’d take a couch from one of the neighbouring houses and dump this one in a backyard.

They used to go house to house and put the couches in the street as barricades, attach bells so they’d have a warning when they came. It worked. They were never surprised when risen would wander through. But then one day another kind of threat came knocking. The kind that had noticed the barricades in the street, had wanted to take whatever belonged to the people that had set them up. That had been a bad day. They’d lost Donny in that fight, but won in the end. They spent the next few days clearing all the barricades. From then on, the plan was to make their safehouse blend in to all the other empty, abandoned houses in this sprawling development. Like 12 Grimauld place in Harry Potter it had to disappear to anyone that didn’t know where to go. It was out of the way. Off the major roads. As long as they didn’t draw attention to themselves, they should just disappear. That was the plan, at least.

Giving up on cleaning the rug and the couch, he headed back to the other room. Frankie was still passed out. And suddenly, Zach felt it. Solitude. He felt so alone it was stifling. He sat there, fighting the urge to wake Frankie up for hours. At times he just sat there, watching him sleep by the dim light of the moon, sometimes pacing, worrying, looking out the windows through a slit in the shutters. Finally, he failed himself and succumbed to what he didn’t want to do. He told himself it was because Frankie needed fluids, but he knew, deep down, it was selfish. That he was terrified for his friends and he was going crazy on his own. He needed Frankie right now. Every minute that passed that they didn’t come back, the situation got worse.

But he couldn’t go look for them now, in the middle of the night, even if he wanted to. It was too late, it would be pointless. And looking at Frankie, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to go, either. Staying put was just as viable a plan as going and looking for them, objectively speaking, and this way also allowed Frankie to recover and didn’t possibly unnecessarily put him in undue risk. There was no other choice to make.

So instead of going after his friends, Zach decided to wake Frankie up instead. The alternative was lose his mind. And it was probably a good idea anyways, to get more electrolytes back into him. He went and got a drink ready in a bottle and brought it with him as he sat down on the edge of the couch in front of Frankie. Placing the bottle on the table he gently shook him and repeated his name a few times. “Frankie. Hey, Frankie. I think you should wake up and have something to drink. You’ve been out for a while.” Slowly, Frankie stretched and woke up, his eyes opening just a crack at first but gradually adjusting to the darkness and he was looking back at Zach.

“Hey.” He said, smiling sleepily. Zach smiled goofily back at him for a moment before remembering and reaching out too quickly for the bottle to compensate. He shoved the bottle in Frankie’s hands awkwardly.

“Hey, I thought it had been too long since you got something in you.” He said, and Frankie smiled. But then, Frankie’s face twisted in pain and there was a loud groan from his stomach. He clutched his belly and pulled his knees up.

“Hungry. Zach, I’m sorry, I need food.” He moaned, and Zach jumped up and ran to the kitchen. Looking through the cupboards of their ample stores, he tried to pick something appropriate, but quickly. He knew you weren’t supposed to over-feed starving people. Their stomachs could burst and it could kill them. But he needed to get back onto solid foods… Zach’s eyes rested on a sealed box of saltine crackers. He’d found a whole stash of them on an abandoned transport truck just outside of town. He quickly opened it and grabbed a sleeve and ran back to Frankie who was still curled up and rocking slightly.

“Here, are these okay?” Zach asked nervously as he handed them over. Frankie slowly and painfully sat up (and Zach noticed that he did so with a lot more strength than he had earlier), reaching out for the sleeve and ripping open the top. He shoved a cracker in his mouth and his eyes rolled back as he swallowed.

“Okay? Zach you saved my life. I was starving and you gave me food. It’s perfect!” He said, his mouth full of crackers, and Zach laughed.

“Slow down!” He laughed, as crumbs fell out of Frankie’s lips. “You can only eat so many at a anyways, didn’t you ever do the cracker challenge?” He said, settling in next to Frankie. Frankie smiled , trying to keep his lips together despite the fullness of his mouth.

“Das wha watas fo” He said, opening the cap on the bottle and taking a drink, helping him clear and swallow the crackers. Zach sat back a little to watch Frankie enjoy his first meal in days. And in that moment, his worries were gone. Just the satisfaction of helping Frankie remained. He was happy because Frankie was happy. Though, watching him eat, he was suddenly worried he was going to overdo it and hurt himself by eating too much.

“Don’t eat til you’re full, just eat til it doesn’t hurt. Then you can have more in an hour. We need to stretch your stomach back out.” Zach said, and he was very happy to see Frankie wobble his head as though he didn’t like it but he understood, and he rolled up the end of the saltine packet and placed it on the table. Taking a big gulp of his water, he capped that and placed the bottle on the table as well. Then he turned and sat cross legged on the couch, facing Zach. His face shone in the moonlight, and it almost took Zach’s breath away. It was like he was creating his own light, from within. And it was brighter than it was yesterday. That had to be his strength returning. “You look a lot better.” He said, without meaning to.

“I feel a lot better. Thanks to you.” Frankie said, and they sat there for another minute, looking at each other, not knowing what to say. It was almost awkward, but not quite. It would have been, if Zach didn’t already have a connection that felt years old with the man. It wasn’t that he had nothing to say. He actually had a million questions to ask, he just didn’t know where to start.

Truthfully, one of the biggest questions on Zach’s mind was ‘are you gay?’. It was mortifying to ask and that’s why he wouldn’t, but he wanted to know. He couldn’t really tell, it was just a feeling. Like an instinct. And how ironic would it be for Zach if the first man he’d ever felt feelings like this for turned out to be totally not into it? That was the kind of luck Zach had. But… for Zach to be feeling like this… all tingly like a teenager? There had to be something on the reverse.

So because Zach couldn’t ask the main thing on his mind, he froze, and sat there for way too long. Though thankfully, it wasn’t too long before Frankie leaned forward and playfully pushed against his knee, smiling at him. Immediately, Zach noticed two things. First, that Frankie was already getting his strength back. Second, that he loved when Frankie touched him. He wondered if he’d touch him like that again.

 

 

Frankie and Zach sat there as the moments stretched on, neither really knowing what to say. Frankie had so much he wanted to say and ask, but he wasn’t sure if he’d be pushing things too far after the loss of Zach’s friends. He didn’t want to hurt him, and he was acutely aware that he was the reason he hadn’t gone out looking for them immediately. He had made a good point about staying put being equally smart, but Frankie did wonder if he wasn’t just saying that for his benefit. Because Frankie knew that if he wasn’t there, there’s no way that Zach would have just stayed put.

And yet, despite all that, Zach seemed so eager and happy to help. Frankie still didn’t know what to do with it. He had had little ideas about his attraction to this man before, he had thought about his kindness and beauty and that weird pull he felt between them that he couldn’t explain. But he’d been so hungry, so thirsty, his muscles had hurt so much… He hadn’t been able to put his full mind to it yet. And he certainly hadn’t felt and bloodflow down THERE in days. And yet, there seemed to be a lot of blood flowing right now, as Frankie watched Zach’s cheeks blush, visible even in the dim light. Frankie seemed to be getting a lot better. And he knew it was all because of Zach.

He smiled at him, and leaned forward to nudge his knee. Frankie had decided it was time to get to know each other. “I think it’s time I get the Zach story. It already feels like I’ve known you forever, it’s time I get some details to back that up.” He said, and though his voice was low and hoarse, it seemed to be holding out for now. He expected Zach to smile back, but instead his eyes widened and his words came out as a whisper.

“You feel like that too?” Was all he said, and it sent a shiver down Frankie’s spine. He had to reach beside him and take a sip of water to he could continue after that, and Zach waited the whole time. For a response. Frankie nodded slowly.

“Yeah, but that’s just because you saved me, right?” He asked, uncertainly. Zach made a skeptical face.

“I save a lot of people…” He said, and Frankie knew he was saying it to shoot down his idea, but it made his heart flutter a little, the way he so casually said it. Like he really didn’t know what a hero he was. He was saying it like everyone was out there doing that. Did Zach really know how bad it was out there? How base people had devolved to once society had broken down?

“How many?” Frankie asked.

“I don’t know… Like a dozen or two? Maybe more? Definitely more if you count that bus of people, but I never got to see them escape so I’m not sure. I led the risen away, I’m just hoping they got out.” He said with no hint of boasting. He was just recounting the facts.

“Where are the others? Where do they stay?” Frankie asked, curious. He’d mentioned earlier them splintering off.

“They’re in two other places, in groups like mine. Like allies, I guess? We do a lot of trading, too. Like, if they find a truck load of soup and I’ve got a truckload of crackers, you see? Also, after what happened to Donny… we decided it was safer to split up. To have places to go, if we lost one safe house. And too many people in one spot is more conspicuous.” Zach said, shrugging. But Frankie was frozen for a second as he thought about that. It honestly made so much sense, he’d just never heard of anyone ever doing it like that before. People these days were usually nomads, the ones setting up camps usually getting too big and imploding from within. Running out of food, fighting, attracting risen… no one had found a system that worked yet.

“That’s…” Frankie said. “That’s really smart. That’s actually… so you just try to disappear. Do you think that’s where your friends might be? At another safe house?” Frankie asked hopefully. Zach shrugged but nodded.

“That’s what I’m hoping, but it doesn’t make sense that there were two of those dead fuckers in here. The whole thing is weird. They left in a hurry, but it doesn’t look like anyone was hurt so I’m hoping they’ll be at Hayden’s. We’ll go there tomorrow afternoon if you’re up for it.” Zach said, running his fingers through his wild hair and causing it to stand absurdly tall. It was also absurdly cute. And Frankie felt a little relieved, that maybe they were okay. If they got ran out of here in a hurry, they’d probably go there. It made him feel marginally less guilty about Zach staying with him tonight.

“So…” Frankie continued. “Do you normally take the people you save straight back to your secret safe house?” He asked, feeling embarrassed. Zach smiled ruefully.

“No. Never.” Was all he said, he seemed amused.

“So… why?” Frankie asked. It seemed this was a huge security protocol breach. Why had he taken the risk?

“Most people I save aren’t 2 hours from total starvation. I can usually take time to conduct a proper interview, at the office.” He said, as if that made sense.

“The office?” Frankie asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Well, yeah. Like you said, I can’t just bring people back here, they’d know where we live! It’s nearby. I might be an asshole but I’m not an idiot.” Zach laughed a little, and Frankie was instantly confused. Did he just call himself an asshole? This guy?

“Did you just call yourself an asshole?”  
“Well, yeah. I am. It’s like, common knowledge.” He said, completely matter of factly. Frankie felt his mouth hang open in confusion.

“Are you aware how dumb that sounds considering you’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met?” Frankie asked, wondering if he was being serious. But then Zach barked a laugh so deep he leaned forward and lightly tapped Frankie’s crossed leg.

“Sweet? I’m not sweet. No one has ever called me sweet.” He said, and by the end of the words the laughter was gone and his voice was turning sad.

“Well I’m calling you sweet.” Frankie said levelly, maintaining eye contact. Then Zach broke it and looked away bashfully.

“Yeah, well, maybe to you.” He almost mumbled, and Frankie saw dimples pop in his cheeks and his jaw clench. There was something about the words and how he said them that hitched Frankie’s breath for a moment.

“What does that mean?” He asked quietly, wanting to reach his hand out. It wouldn’t have to go far, just a couple inches, they were sitting close. But he wouldn’t. Not yet. Not until he was sure. His mind flashed back to the panic he’d felt earlier as he realized he had no skills, nothing to provide to the group. That Zach was going to kick him out when he realized.

Zach looked frozen for a moment. “I—I just—I don’t know. Enough about me right now. How are you? How are you feeling? Do you need anything?” Zach said, and his tone broached no argument. He leaned towards Frankie as he spoke, as if he was winding himself up in worry over him.

“I’m actually…” Frankie said, pausing, then holding his arms out and shaking them a little, moving them around. “I’m actually so much better. I’m only a little sore now. And I think I might be rehydrated because actually… do you think you could help me get up? Where do you guys, uhhh…” Frankie trailed off. Zach laughed and stood up.

“I’ll help you, c’mere.” He said, holding out his hand. “You wanna try to walk?” He asked as Frankie swung his still weak legs around and his feet touched the ground.

“Yeah, but I think I’ll need your help.” Frankie said, and he held out his arms and Zach pulled him up to his feet for the first time since he’d gotten into that car several days ago. It hurt, and he felt a bit like Bambi learning to walk, but it was amazing. Just earlier today he wouldn’t have thought this was possible.

“You’re standing!” Zach said with pride in his voice.

“Thanks to you.” Frankie said, and the arm Zach had around Frankie squeezed for a moment.

“It’s after dark so you’re not going outside to the outhouse. There’s a… well, it’s a pot.” He said, and chuckled a little. “Sorry.” He added and Frankie smiled.

“Do you think I expected working plumbing?” Frankie asked and Zach chuckled a little nervously but didn’t respond. He just helped Frankie slowly walk towards the bathroom.

Frankie felt much better when he finished. He had been especially happy to find the cupboard under the sink almost completely packed with antibacterial hand wash, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. TOOTHPASTE. Frankie hadn’t brushed his teeth in ages. He cracked open a bottle of handwash and gave himself a little bath on his hands and feet, all the while eyeing one of the unopened toothbrushes. He wondered how far Zach’s generosity would reach…

He was practically drooling at the sight of toothpaste, and as if reading his mind, Zach called into the bathroom. “Help yourself to a toothbrush. We’ve got tons of that shit down in the basement. Turns out no one had dental hygiene in mind when they raided the grocery stores and pharmacies. Fucking gross.” Zach added, and Frankie chuckled. He had kept a toothbrush with him until his bag had gotten lost in a struggle over a month ago.

“Zach, I love you.” Frankie called back, meaning it in that moment, his gratitude was so strong. He was wondering what Zach would think to hear such words as he dove in, covering the new brush with toothpaste and practically climaxing from the heavenly feeling. He let out a huge groan of pleasure, and heard the door open behind him. He looked in the mirror and saw Zach smiling.

“I got jealous, and I didn’t brush mine before going to sleep…” He shrugged, reaching past Frankie for what must have been his own brush and then they stood next to each other, thoroughly brushing their teeth in the mirror for several minutes. Much longer than necessary, but Frankie and Zach kept catching each other’s eyes in the mirror and they’d laugh. Frankie didn’t want to stop. After a little while the toothpaste was mostly gone so he spit and laid his toothbrush on the counter. When he ran his tongue over his smooth teeth, he groaned again in pleasure, not knowing how he had gotten so lucky. “Feels good, right?” Zach asked from beside him. Frankie looked him in the eyes through the mirror.

“You have no idea. I know I’m saying this a lot right now, but—“

“Don’t say thank you again.” Zach said, spitting out the rest of his toothpaste again and turning to start walking Frankie back to the sofa.

“Why not?” Frankie asked.

“Because how many times can you say thank you?”

“A million times wouldn’t be enough.” Frankie said seriously, realizing he had taken the last several steps without thinking about them. He was so much stronger, and it was all thanks to Zach. Why didn’t he want to be thanked?

“Once was enough.” He said, and Frankie realized he was just being bashful, he wasn’t upset with Frankie for thanking him.

“Well… I guess I’ll just have to show you how grateful I am then.” Frankie said, and he knew he was being a little provocative. But he was feeling such a pull to this man. He was actually upset to see they were almost at the couch and he’d have to take his arm off of him, that they’d have to stop touching. And anyways, Frankie had always BEEN a little provocative. He knew the power balance in this relationship had been set one way because of his vulnerability when Zach saved him. He hadn’t even been able to talk for their first day together, and Zach had been the one to save him. Frankie would always see him as his hero and Zach may always look at him as frail and delicate, and that set off balance the usual nature of things. Specifically, Frankie was usually the one in charge. But Frankie wasn’t usually wasn’t meek or weak, he usually went for what he needed and wanted. It was the only reason he had survived in the new world. There weren’t many weak people left and those that were were lucky to be kept alive by the strong.

It had been a moment since Frankie had spoken, and Zach seemed to be frozen, his mouth open just a little. Frankie tried not to smirk as he watched a few different emotions flash on Zach’s face. He was trying to figure out what Frankie meant by “show him”… Frankie knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment if you want more! :) :) :) <3 <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picks up immediately after chapter 5, from Zach’s perspective!

Zach could feel his jaw go slack. He knew he must look like an idiot. About a hundred ideas and feelings flashed through his head. SHOW him? What did he mean by that? Zach’s mind raced. And why did it feel like his dick was hardening at the words? Fuck, this was not good. Zach didn’t even know what Frankie meant, and even if he did he might not know what to do with it. He could be freaking out over nothing. Maybe he just meant that he wanted to be a hardworking contributor to the group?

That’s not what it felt like he meant, but Zach was still too confused and he didn’t want to make the wrong move, so no move was safest for the time being. He still wasn’t sure Frankie was gay, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to have the balls to ask him. And that’s not even mentioning the fact that Zach was straight. Or, at least he always had been. Before. Did the fucking zombie apocalypse give him a pass to not freak out about that part? He wasn’t sure about anything right now. So instead, he laughed nervously.

“How are you feeling?” Zach asked suddenly, deciding to change the subject. Frankie smiled knowingly but thankfully went along with it.

“A thousand times better, thanks to you. And that toothpaste was heavenly. My mouth feels so clean, I could eat out of it.” He said. Zach laughed.

“You do… oh, wait… nevermind.” He said, blushing, as he caught onto the joke too late and saw Frankie holding back laughter. He felt his cheeks tighten as he smiled, mildly embarrassed but amused nonetheless. So Frankie was funny, too... “So…” He decided to continue. “You’re better, but how ARE you? Like what are you feeling right now?” He asked, his voice turning serious, his eyes boring into Frankie’s big dark ones, trying to read what he saw there.

Frankie hesitated, he even bit his lip a little, which Zach refused to admit he found cute. “What am I feeling?” He asked, and his voice was soft and vulnerable. He bit his lip again. “I’m feeling more than I can tell you. But mostly, I’m feeling happy to have met you. I’m feeling grateful for your kindness. I’m feeling relieved that I have food and water in me, and that I’m not surrounded by those monsters, never fucking shutting up. Like, I get it, you’re risen, now shut the fuck up about it, am I right?” He asked, and Zach chuckled but then raised one eyebrow. Frankie was only telling him the good things, and he was deflecting with humour… he had to be holding back.

“So you’re just great, that’s it? All better now?” Zach asked, and he made sure his skepticism dripped from every word. Frankie smiled guiltily and his eyes dropped, and Zach wanted to reach out and hold his hand again. But… would that be weird now? It was one thing before, when he may still have died, to touch him and give him comfort, try to bring him through the worst of it. But now that he was through, could Zach keep doing that? Also… why the fuck did he want to? He was going to have to examine that one later, but it didn’t get past him, the fact that for the first time in ages he was touching and caring for another person in an intimate way. This was totally new, and he didn’t really know how to deal with it yet. He was just winging it at this point, playing every moment as it came by ear. Trying not to think too hard.

“Well it seems stupid to talk about it, when I know how much worse things can be…” Frankie said, hesitating. Zach immediately froze and that hand he had been holding back shot forward to Frankie’s knee without thought.

“Tell me.” He commanded. Frankie looked up at him.

“It’s just… I’m sore. Like, my muscles hurt everywhere, I think they’re waking back up.” He said, and Zach was frozen, trying to think of a way to help him and took too long to respond, causing Frankie to backtrack. “See? It’s stupid. After near starvation, a little muscle soreness is nothing. Reminds me I’m still alive.” Frankie laughed a little trying to lighten the mood because Zach knew he he’d made it tense. As Zach’s mind searched for a way to help Frankie, suddenly it came to him. Zach didn’t know if this would be more for Frankie or himself, but he reasoned it would help so why the fuck not? He’d already thrown most of his rules and ideas about himself out the window in the past day, why not…

“I can help.” Zach said, slowly, and Frankie looked at him curiously. “I, I can. We have a shitload of food but only a couple bottles of painkillers, so we probably should save those for if it’s really bad. But… I have some really good weed.” Zach said, sneaking a peek at Frankie whose eyes had gone wide.

“You have weed? Where the fuck did you get weed?” Frankie asked, and Zach laughed. He seemed excited, and Zach was relieved.

“Grew it. Well, actually, Hayden grew it. But I gave him his starter plants, he’s way better at it than I was and his spot has a more hidden place to plant and more water. He’s a genius in the garden. There’s even fresh food he’ll grow soon, when it warms up a bit more.” Zach said proudly, and Frankie was smiling widely now. “Anyways, I think a joint would help your muscles more than an aspirin either way. And…” Zach swallowed, trying to get the courage to say the next part. “And, like, I could give you a massage, or whatever…”

When Frankie just stared, frozen, Zach panicked. But he was already committed, he’d already spoken and gotten his foot stuck in his mouth. All he could do was try to make that sound less… like a come on. Which, fuck, it probably was. Zach had no idea but it wasn’t entirely altruistic, he knew that. “I just—I mean—rubbing the muscles will get the blood moving again and it’ll mean you’ll be stronger for tomorrow in case we have to go looking for everyone.”

Was that a good excuse? He watched as Frankie swallowed, then grabbed his drink and took a careful sip, wetting his lips and rubbing them together a little. Then he smiled a little. “Would—would you?” He asked, like it was too much to ask, and Zach smiled in relief. He wanted it. He wasn’t repulsed by the idea of Zach touching him. ‘Helping him!’ his mind trying to correct, this was not about touching Frankie it wasn’t. That was just a happy byproduct of HELPING him.

“Yeah, of course. I mean, I’m pretty sure if Peter was here, he’d be rubbing the muscles to get them loosened up after sitting in that car for days.” Sure, Zach thought, blame this on Peter. That was a great idea. He wondered if Frankie bought it. The look on his face was hard to read. Zach hoped he was happy, not freaked out and going along with it because he felt he had to.

“That would be AMAZING.” Frankie groaned finally, and Zach smiled widely. Maybe too widely.

“Awesome, well I’ll grab a joint!” He said, springing up and hurrying to the desk on the other side of the room. That was where, on a slow or rainy day, he’d sit, rolling and rerolling joints to pass the time. Kind of like Caleb would sit there tuning his already tuned crossbow, AJ would read, Peter would build card houses, or Cody would sit and stare into space. Sometimes you had to just sit in silence and go to your happy place. Find some level of Zen. And as a result of that, he had a whole collection of perfect cannons, varying in size, pre-wrapped and ready to go. He grabbed a bigger one with flavoured paper and a zippo and trotted back to the couch.

When he sat back down, he was aware than he was even closer to Frankie than he had been the first time, and he couldn’t even lie to himself and act like that was an accident. What was it about this guy? What the hell was happening to Zach? Looking over at him, his eyes were bright and his smile wide. “This is exactly what I need right now. I’ve never been a big smoker, but I’d say this is called for.” Frankie said.

“You wanna light?” Zach asked, holding out the joint and lighter. Frankie took them both but he immediately went to put the joint in his mouth and light it so Zach smiled and shook his head.

“Nope, it’s going to burn too quick and uneven like that. You have to wet it first. Let me show you…” He said, taking the joint back. Then, looking Frankie in the eyes, he wet his lips and placed them around the top of the joint, sucking slightly to wet the paper there so it would burn slower as the weed inside lit. As he did it, he realized how fucking sexual it was, and his eyes were locked with Frankie’s. He felt his dick twitch and tried to ignore it. Then he handed the joint with the wetted tip back to Frankie. “There, now rotate it as you light it.” He said, hoping Frankie couldn’t see the blush he felt in his cheeks.

Frankie smiled and placed it in his mouth, turning it as instructed as he slowly sucked in, lighting a cherry on the end. When it was going, he took a deep breath, held it in, and let it out in a big puff of smoke. “Holy fuck, that’s good.” He said, and his face looked dreamy and he fell back against the couch in relief and took another deep pull. Then he handed it to Zach, who took a pull and felt the familiar feeling rushing to his brain. He found everything easier to deal with when that feeling was there, and after the past day, this felt good. He took another hit and watched Frankie, who was smacking his lips a little and licking them.

“Does that thing taste like grape?” He asked suddenly, and Zach smiled.

“Flavoured papers. There was this hemp shop in town that had nothing useful so most of the shit there was untouched. It was kind of amazing, actually.” Zach said, smiling fondly at the memory of finding that place almost fully stocked with pipes and bongs and papers and screens and picks and grinders… everything he could possibly need or imagine. He sighed a little, thinking about it. “Some days… are better than others.” He said, smiling a little, and then he felt Frankie’s hand on his hand, his fingers curling around Zach’s. Zach’s eyes snapped from the memory to Frankie’s eyes in an instant.

“You’re right, some days are better than others.” Was all he said, but the warmth in his words and the sincerity shining in those eyes sent shivers down Zach’s spine. He was talking about this day. And if Zach was being honest, he couldn’t think of a better day than this in recent memory either. Even if he still couldn’t explain why. Not knowing what to say, Zach passed the joint back to Frankie, who took another couple pulls before handing it back.

One more hit brought Zach over that initial hill and into the swirling feeling of calm and wellbeing. The one that made him love smoking weed, the one that helped people in pain. He hoped that Frankie was feeling it as well. “Can you blow smoke rings?” Frankie asked suddenly, and the tone to his voice was a little different. Zach laughed once, deeply from his belly.

“Are you serious?” He asked. “Of course I can. Here, watch.” He said, and then he leaned down against Frankie so their shoulders were touching and their heads were beside each other. He took a deep pull and then puffed out perfect ring after perfect ring. Frankie giggled and poked his fingers through the middles. “Want me to teach you?” Zach asked, and Frankie nodded eagerly, a big smile on his face. Zach smiled before continuing. So first you fill your lungs. But you don’t want the smoke too deep so you blow a little out at first, then you stop. So the goal is to open and close your throat really fast and just let out a little puff. Your lips should be round like this and your tongue needs to be in the middle of your mouth like this.” Zach said, turning his head and pursing his lips so Frankie could see and imitate.

He didn’t realize how close their faces were until he started making kissy faces at him from inches away, but thanks to the effects of the weed, he wasn’t so nervous he had to immediately pull away. Besides, Frankie seemed happy, and wasn’t that all that mattered? He was trying to imitate the way Zach’s lips were.

“Like this?” He said, and Zach nodded.

“Yeah, now try.” He said, handing the joint over. Frankie took it and they sat leaning against each other for the next few minutes, Zach watching as Frankie tried many times unsuccessfully to blow a smoke ring. When, finally, he got one, Zach poked his finger through and Frankie cheered.

“Yay!!! I did it!” He said, laughing. By that point, they were both nice and high, feeling much better and less stressed about everything. Zach hoped Frankie felt a little better.

“So, did that help at all?” He asked, their heads now flopped against each other. He felt Frankie’s head nod.

“Yeah. But I think what really helped was you being here with me.”

“Don’t thank me again.” Zach warned, but he was joking, and to make sure Frankie knew, he reached over and tickled his ribs a little. Frankie laughed but Zach heard a wince and that made him remember Frankie’s pain, and his promise. “Oh, shit, what’s hurting most? I’ll rub that first.” Zach said, and he wondered if the words sounded as eager to Frankie as they did to him.

“You don’t have to, you’ve done enough…” Frankie said, hesitating. Zach froze. Did he not want it? He thought the signals he was getting were clear, but maybe…

“You don’t want me to?” He asked, and he heard the sadness in his voice. What the hell?

“No! It’s not that, it’s just…” Frankie started.

“You DO want me to?” Zach asked, and Frankie chuckled a little and smiled softly.

“Yeah, I mean I do, but…”

“Then where do I start?” Zach asked, and Frankie’s smile turned shy.

“Are you for real? Is this real life?” He asked suddenly, and Zach laughed.

“Depends, how high are you?” Zach asked, and Frankie giggled.

“The perfect amount. I’d be more but I think a lot of it has gone to pain killing.” Frankie said, an introspective look on his face as if he was trying to be really honest about how he was feeling.

“Well that’s good to hear.” Zach said, smiling. “Now tell me what to rub.” The words were out without thinking and it took Zach a moment to realize what he’d said and how it could have sounded, and he giggled when he did. He wondered what he’d do if Frankie said ‘my dick’ and giggled even more when he realized he’d probably just do as asked. Thankfully he hadn’t said that last part out loud, though.

“Legs. My legs are killing me. That was the first time I’ve stood in days. And did I tell you you’re my hero?” Frankie said, and Zach smiled widely at the words, thinking of how proud it made him feel to hear Frankie say that. And bonus, he wanted him to rub his legs. Zach thought he could do that.

“K, no problem, one kickass leg rub coming up.” Zach said, his head swimming a little, his body warm and sensitized. He watched as Frankie adjusted himself sideways on the couch so his legs hung over Zach’s lap, and Zach scrunched his eyebrows looking at the tight jeans. That wasn’t going to work. “Nope, take ‘em off, they’re in the way.” Zach said, his filter long forgotten. And when Frankie started giggling, so did Zach, and he ended up leaning down on Frankie as they giggled. Then Frankie was undoing his pants and he bounced on the couch so he could slide them over his ass, and Zach pulled them off the rest of the way. So now, he was undressing Frankie too… Zach figured why not. He had gone full speed ahead into the great unknown, he was all in, and he was pretty fucking high. So just go with it. And this would make for a way better massage anyways, so it’s not like there was no point to it.

Frankie laid his legs back over Zach’s lap, and Zach looked down at them. Suddenly hypnotized by the bare skin in front of him, his eyes travelled up the legs and rested on the bulge he saw peeking out beneath his hoodie. He was wearing tight black briefs. By the time he realized he was staring, he didn’t know how long it had been. He hoped it hadn’t been too long, and that Frankie hadn’t noticed, so he grabbed a leg and started working the calf muscle. Frankie groaned in pleasure, a sound that otherwise would have been extremely sexual, and Zach felt his dick twitch again. Only this time he didn’t think it was going to stop. As he rubbed Frankie’s legs and he kept throwing his head back and moaning in pleasure, Zach was sure his semi was going to be a full blown rager any second. And of course Frankie’s legs were draped over his lap. He hoped he didn’t notice…

“I want to know more about you.” Zach said suddenly, and Frankie rolled his eyes back forward from the back of his head to meet Zach’s gaze and he smiled.

“So do I. Let’s take turns asking questions.” Frankie suggested, and Zach smiled. “But nothing sad… I don’t want to—I don’t want to ruin the moment.” He added, quieter.

“Deal.” Zach said in return, thinking of something to ask. “My turn first. What did you do? You know, before?”

“I was a dancer. Well, and a singer, kind of. I performed and produced for broadway.” Frankie said, and Zach felt is jaw drop.

“Holy shit, that’s amazing!” Zach said, totally impressed. Broadway? This guy must have been seriously talented. Zach rubbed up Frankie’s leg a little, wondering if he’d ever get to see it dancing.

“Ok, my turn. Same question.” Frankie said, and Zach smirked.

“Jack shit. I graduated from University and I went back to live with my parents and my—“ Zach said, almost saying the word ‘brother’. He hadn’t said that word in months. He felt a pain in his heart, but luckily he was high and he had Frankie’s leg in his hands and that was pleasantly distracting, so he decided to move past it, to try to let it slip from his mind for tonight at least. “I just worked a shitty waiter job at a Thai restaurant when everything went down.” He finished. Then, thinking about school, “You seem really smart, what did you major in?” Zach asked as his next question.

“I triple majored. Biology, Theatre, and Dance.” Frankie said, and Zach felt his jaw drop. Triple majored? This guy must be so smart, Zach could barely get through a single major, and he knew how hard people worked for a double… triple? Zach loved that Frankie was smart. But of course he was. Because he was already funny, and good looking, and caring… he only had to be smart to complete the package. Zach’s perfect package, everything he valued in people, everything he was attracted to. In a man. Fuck. He moved his hands to Frankie’s thigh’s without thinking and continued to knead and work the muscles there, causing Frankie to groan again and throw his head back.

“Shit that’s… that’s impressive.” Was all Zach could say, and he could hear his voice get husky. Could Frankie hear it too?

“My question.” Frankie breathed, his head still thrown back as he absorbed the pleasurable pain of massage on tight, achy muscles. Then he raised it slowly and looked at Zach. “Are you gay?” He asked. Quietly. Quickly. But unmistakeably. And he was looking at Zach, waiting for an answer. Zach didn’t know what to say. Zach currently had his hands on Frankie’s thigh, just a few inches from that tight package in black briefs, and he panicked wondering… did Frankie want him to be? Did Frankie want him to be gay, so they could be together? Or was he making sure he wasn’t, so that he wasn’t uncomfortable with the super intimate leg massage he was currently enjoying. Zach didn’t want to say or do the wrong thing, so he said the truth.

“No. I mean, I’m—I don’t know.” Zach stammered, his hands faltering. Frankie looked worried.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—I just thought—“ He said, rushing to apologize.

“Why?” Zach asked slowly, trying to get his hands working again, trying to make his voice sound casual. “Are you?” Frankie laughed at this, and Zach blushed.

“Well, yeah.” Frankie said, like he thought it was obvious. Should it have been? Zach hadn’t been sure. He had hoped, but hadn’t known. “Is that okay?” He asked and Zach looked up from his leg to his eyes.

“Of course it is.” Zach said, and Frankie smiled a little, and finished the leg he was on. “Other leg.” He said when he was done and Frankie lifted it so Zach could start on the calf.

“This feels so good.” Frankie said softly, after a minute or two of silence. The whole time, his eyes had been closed and his face looked like it was in ecstasy as Zach firmly worked loose the tightness in the muscles there. Zach watched, the whole time, transfixed on the features there. When he’d squeeze and knead the tightness and see Frankie throw back his head or moan or scrunch his eyes up… he felt that erection getting harder.

“I’m glad.” Zach said in reply, his voice quiet. “I want to make you feel good.” He said, before realizing his mistake. “I mean better. I want to make you feel better.” He added, belatedly. He snuck a peek at Frankie’s face to see if he’d reacted, and what he saw there, he didn’t know how to interpret. His eyes were looking right at Zach, and he was biting his lip again. Zach took a deep breath and continued to work his way up the leg, feeling his skin against Frankie’s skin.

“You are making me feel good.” Frankie whispered, and then his other leg shifted in Zach’s lap. He didn’t know if it was deliberate, but it brushed right past his extremely hard erection and caused Zach to gasp, the weed removing his ability to pretend he hadn’t felt that. And by the look in Frankie’s eyes, he didn’t want to pretend he hadn’t felt it either. “Is that for me?” He whispered, and Zach felt shivers run down his spine. Was it? Yes, it fucking was. How could he deny it?

“That depends.” Zach whispered in return. “Do you want it? Would that make you feel good?” He asked, turning off the part of his brain that was screaming and freaking out right now. That was the beauty of weed, sometimes. It let you shut out everything but what you were focusing on. And right now, Zach was focusing on Frankie. The feel of his hands against his legs, the proximity of his body, the feeling of Frankie’s foot as it grazed past his hard cock.

Frankie sucked in a hiss of air and bit his lip, then nodded. “You’re taking such good care of me, Zach. My hero.” He breathed, and he moved his foot back to purposefully rub Zach through his pants and Zach groaned. Fuck. This was happening. This was a runaway train at this point, barrelling down the tracks. There was no stopping it. Fuck.

Zach looked down at his hands where they were rubbing just inches away from… Fuck. He removed one hand to lean forward and brace himself next to Frankie’s face and let the other hand drift up to that tight package he’d been eyeing ever since this massage started. “Do you need a massage there?” Zach whispered, inhibitions gone, against Frankie’s ear, his hand palming his erection through his briefs. Frankie groaned in response.

“Fuck.” He moaned, and Zach smiled and shifted a little so he could capture Frankie’s mouth with his own, all the while working him with his hand. Frankie gasped a little as their lips connected, but soon his lips were parting and their tongues met, tentatively at first. Frankie tasted of toothpaste and grape flavoured marijuana, two of Zach’s favourite things in the world. Soon the kiss went from soft and sweet to needy and deep in minutes.

Zach found it weird, to hold and stroke a dick but not his own. It was familiar and pleasant, he found, and he found he was way more confident than he was with girls and their bizarre, foreign equipment down there. Soon he was smiling and getting into it, and Frankie was writhing underneath him. “This is just like a fairy tale.” Frankie breathed, and they giggled against each other’s mouths. “The prince finds the princess in peril, saves her, becomes her hero…”

“Then fucks her?” Zach said, out of breath, against Frankie’s mouth, diving in for a now ravenous kiss. Fuck, this felt good. Even Frankie’s facial hair felt right against his mouth, the small peppering of chest hair feeling good as Zach dragged his fingers under Frankie’s shirt and up his body.

Frankie laughed a little before turning Zach’s head and kissing up his jaw towards his ear. “That’s the part at the end of the story they don’t tell the kids about.” Frankie whispered and bit Zach’s earlobe. Zach saw stars and felt his cock throb. He turned some more so he had almost mounted Frankie from the side, allowing himself to rub his erection against Frankie’s hip to relieve some of the tension there. He continued to slowly and thoroughly kiss Frankie his hand roaming between his cock and his chest, lingering at his nipples and rolling the hardened nubs there lightly between his finger and thumb. The noise that came deep from Frankie’s chest when he did that was amazing. After a while, he was thinking about Frankie’s resonse.

“Does that mean I can?” Zach asked, needing to hear the words. This whole thing felt like a dream. Zach was worried he’d wake up any minute, and he wanted to get to the good stuff in case he did.

“You can what?” Frankie moaned beneath him, his voice and face looking dreamy, his hips bucking in rhythmic motions as Zach slowly tortured him there.

“Fuck you.”

“Is that a question?”

“Yes.”

“Then fuck, yes, of course. Zach, what did you think I mean earlier when I said I wanted to show you my gratitude?” Frankie said, smiling, and Zach’s eyes went wide.

“That WAS what you meant?” Zach asked, incredulously.

“Yes, Rose.” Frankie said dryly, and Zach laughed even though he had no idea what he meant. “Do you have, umm, well, lube?” Frankie asked, sounding like It was a long shot. I mean, it wasn’t like the neighbourhood drug store was open for business. Zach lit up at the question. Yes, he happened to know where a large quantity of lube was at this very minute. He couldn’t believe it. He laughed.

“Yeah, Caleb and amber have a shit ton! You know, because he totally turns her off and she can’t get wet with him, she’s only with him because he keeps her safe. They’ve got a whole case up in their bedroom!” Zach said, and Frankie snorted a laugh. Zach ran upstairs and was back a few seconds later with a brand new bottle from the crate.

“My hero.” Frankie said seductively, and Zach felt his cock throb.

“I like when you call me that.” He said back, his voice husky, as he undid his pants and kicked them off, laying down next to Frankie. He had taken off his hoodie while Zach was gone. Zach smiled as he ran his hand freely over the skin, up his chest, then down, grazing over the erection, still contained by the cute black briefs there.

“It’s true, you are my hero. I’m not even just saying that, or exaggerating. You are and you always will be. I owe you everything.” Frankie said, his voice as light as air as he leaned in and placed soft kisses up Zach’s neck. “Do you know how to do this?” Frankie asked, his voice kind and patient.

“I have no fucking idea.” Zach said truthfully. Frankie smiled.

“Am I the first…” He asked.

“Yes, you’re the first.” Zach said, understanding.

“Fuck that’s hot.” Frankie said, and he leaned up and connected their lips once more. Zach ran his tongue over those lips and felt saddened when he tasted the cracks there, the faint taste of blood still evident. He hoped this didn’t hurt, though he didn’t think he could stop if he tried. And Frankie really didn’t seem to mind. His own hands were running up Zach’s bare chest, and then back down, and then—Zach groaned. Frankie ran his fingers right under the waistband on Zach’s boxers and wrapped them around his straining cock, his fingers tightening.

When Frankie pulled up and then pushed down, expertly working his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin on his skin, Zach shuddered and melted forward into Frankie, biting his shoulder to allow him to deal with the wonderful sensations. “So tell me what to do.” Zach whispered, groaning as Frankie loosened his grip and ran his hand up Zach’s chest towards his face. Then he reached over and grabbed the lube.

“It’s been… forever. So, you’re going to have to lube your fingers, first.” Frankie said, opening the bottle and pouring a little on Zach’s hand he held out.

“Oh.” Zach said. “OH.” He repeated, realization dawning.

“Is that okay?” Frankie asked, and Zach realized it didn’t matter if it was okay or not. This was happening either way. He was already down the rabbit hole, there was no coming back from this. Not that he wanted to. So he rubbed his slick, lubed fingers against each other, looking at them, and then back at Frankie.

“Fuck yes.” He said, and Frankie wiggled out of his underwear. Zach looked down to admire his beautiful body, and marvelled one last time of his enjoyment of it. Like, shit. Was he really that into this? Yes, he was. And how was he just finding out now, at 24 years old? Was it just Frankie or was he gay? Because he was really fucking into this right now, and the thought of fucking this perfect man was making him leak, his balls straining for release.

Reaching down, he placed a finger against Frankie’s rim, and he couldn’t believe the naughty sexual rawness of the action, making him feel dirty and sexy all at the same time. In this minute he was so focused, so singular, he had forgot that the world had stopped all around them. He forgot about his missing group, he forgot about all the loss, he forgot that the apocalypse had happened, he forgot that he wasn’t gay and this shouldn’t be turning him on as much as it was. He forgot about it all and lost himself to the moment, slowly pressing his finger past the ring of muscles, and watching Frankie’s face. It looked a lot like it had when Zach had massaged his legs earlier, and he smiled, pressing the finger all the way.

After a moment, Frankie was able to look at Zach again, and the look on his face was raw, pure desire. “Fuck, Zach, yes.” He said. “YES.” He repeated when Zach curled his finger a little inside him, feeling the warmth there and trying to read Frankie’s face to tell him how to move his finger to make it feel good. After a minute or two, Zach felt Frankie loosening up so without even asking, working entirely on instinct, he slid in the second. “FUCK.”

Zach was leaned up on one elbow above Frankie who was on his back, his fingers working back and forth within Frankie, as Zach watched with total curiosity and wonder. “You swear a lot when I’m inside you.” Zach said quietly, his eyes watching Frankie absorb the sensations.

“Because—feels—so fucking good.” Frankie managed to get out, though he couldn’t manage to open his eyes, which were rolled back with pleasure. Zach smiled and curled his fingers inside Frankie, stroking the inside wall and Frankie’s whole body twitched and he moaned loudly. “YES.” He breathed, and Zach smiled wider, leaning forward to kiss Frankie briefly.

“I like watching you… knowing I’m inside you.” Zach said, and Frankie gasped, his eyes finally opening and meeting with Zach’s.

“Put your cock inside me. It’s my turn to make you feel good.” Frankie panted and Zach looked concerned.

“Are you ready? I don’t want to hurt you, not after…” He trailed off. It was true, he didn’t want this to hurt. Frankie had been through enough already.

“One more finger, then.” Frankie breathed, and he hissed as Zach slid the third finger inside him. When he felt the muscles loosening one more time, he couldn’t wait any longer. He knew he was leaking all over Frankie’s hip where he was unconsciously rocking his erection to get some friction. “I’m ready, Zach, please. I need you.” Frankie said, and the words were an electric shock to Zach’s heart and his groin. He loved hearing Frankie say he needed him. Zach loved taking care of him. Anything Frankie needed, Zach was ready to give him. Even this. “Do you have a condom?” Frankie asked, and Zach froze. FUCK. He didn’t know he’d need one. But of course… fuck. He was going to have to go back upstairs.

“Fuck, sorry, yeah I’ll go get one.” He said, and he was moving to get up when he felt Frankie’s hand tighten on his shoulder.

“I don’t want you to leave. Are you… are you clean?” He asked, and Zach almost laughed.

“I’m barely not a virgin, Frankie, other than drunken frat parties in college. And I got tested after that. And I haven’t… I mean, since it started I haven’t---“

“I am too.” Frankie said quickly, leaning up and pulling Zach back down, their lips moving against eachother, their tongues exploring. Then, pulling apart just a little. “So just—just do it. Do it now, I need you.” He breathed, and Zach felt his body flush with warmth and nerves. He was going to do it. He lined himself up with Frankie who was on his back with his knees pulled up. It was just like fucking a girl… except…

FUCK. It was nothing like fucking a girl. As Zach pushed in, the tightness was incredible, the warmth and softness incomparable. Frankie let out a groan at the same time Zach did, and when Zach was pressed right up against Frankie’s ass, all the way in, he paused, letting them both acclimatize. “Holy shit.” He breathed, and bit Frankie’s shoulder where he was resting his face.

“Now, Zach, go. Go.” Frankie said, and Zach pulled up, equally distributing the weight on both arms, hovering above Frankie’s body, and looking deep into those eyes, he pulled out slowly and thrust back in. Frankie let out a deep moan of pleasure. “Yeah baby, just like that.” He said, and Zach glowed at the praise.

“Like it when you call me baby, too.” He said, as he sped up the speed and intensity of his thrusting. Frankie was falling apart beneath him, and Zach felt total pride and happiness knowing he was doing it to him. And for a moment, seeing the ultimate pleasure there, Zach wondered if he’d like it that way, too… I mean, it looked like it was pretty good… Frankie seemed to like it.

“Yeah, baby!” Frankie called. “YES!” He cried again as Zach found a good rhythm. “FUCK, just like that, baby, omigod, yes.” He said and Zach felt that pulling in his balls that told him he was close. His rhythm became erratic and Frankie was writhing beneath him. “Baby, baby, when you’re going to come, grab my cock.” Frankie panted and that was it, that was enough, Zach was coming. So he grabbed Frankie’s cock and he instantly shot hot, sticky come up over his own chest. A little even got onto his cheek, and they both giggled a little as Zach collapsed onto him, his cock still throbbing inside Frankie with the aftershocks of his orgasm.

Zach looked up at Frankie and the warmth and comfort of those eyes, the look on his face, made Zach feel like everything was going to be okay. He wasn’t freaking out about what just happened. He was just happy and content in the afterglow. Maybe tomorrow he’d freak out, Zach didn’t know, but he hoped not. Because he wanted this to happen again. It was amazing, it was wonderful, it was heaven. This was exactly the escape he had needed, for ages now. And he was wondering if maybe Frankie would try that on him… he didn’t see the harm in trying.

Moving his eyes from Frankie’s eyes, Zach noticed the streak of shiny wetness on Frankie’s cheek. Without thinking, Zach leaned forward and slowly licked it up. It was tangy and salty, and not at all bad. ‘That tastes like Frankie’, Zach thought, and he smiled and cleaned a spot for him to lay his cheek on Frankie’s chest, ignoring the shocked look on his face, smirking about it to himself. Eventually, he pulled out slowly and arranged himself next to Frankie, his arms around him, and he pulled a blanket down on top of them.

“You know, there’s going to be come all over this couch if we don’t clean up.” Frankie murmured tiredly from beside him. Zach chuckled sleepily.

“That’ll be our secret. We can laugh whenever Cody sits there.” He decided. Getting up right now was the last thing he wanted. Frankie’s chest chuckled once or twice.

“I see it now.” Frankie said, humour in his voice. Zach looked up at him.]

“See what?” He asked, curious.

“You are a bit of an asshole.” Frankie teased, and Zach smiled.

“Only to everyone on the planet.” Zach responded, smiling, and laid his cheek back on Frankie’s chest.

“Except me.” Frankie whispered. Zach smiled against his warm skin, then kissed him there.

“Except you.” He agreed. And a minute later they were drifting off to sleep, cuddled together on the sofa, naked under a blanket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I put this up a day early and I hope you like it! Up next: what tf happened to Zach's group???
> 
> Also I need feedback, lol please leave me comments :) :) :) <3 <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> Want more? Lol make sure you let me know!!! :) thanks for reading!


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